Vivienne Westwood

Considered one of the most unconventional and outspoken fashion designers in the world, Westwood rose to fame in the late 1970s when her early designs helped shape the look of the punk rock movement, in partnership with Malcolm McLaren, manager of The Sex Pistols.

Vivienne has been named British designer of the year twice and and was awarded the O.B.E. in 1992. She has collaborated closely with Richard Branson on Virgin Atlantic crew uniforms and also designed a new range of academic gowns for Kings College London. Her son Joseph Corré is the founder of the lingerie brand Agent Provocateur.

For more than 30 years, even after she had made her fortune and fame, Westwood lived in the same small South London apartment, riding her bike to her studio. A keen gardener, in 2000 her husband convinced her to move into a Queen Anne style house built in 1703, which once belonged to the mother of Captain Cook.

“You’ve got to invest in the world, you’ve got to read, you’ve got to go to art galleries, you’ve got to find out the names of plants. You’ve got to start to love the world and know about the whole genius of the human race. We’re amazing people.”